Methods and systems for an event-linked lottery game

ABSTRACT

A method for conducting a lottery game is described. The method provides a plurality of tickets acquirable by participants in the game, including an entry in a ticket Pool corresponding to a ticket acquired by a participant. A number of ticket drawings are distributed from a first drawing to an N th  drawing at predetermined intervals prior to an event. An entry from the ticket pool is randomly drawn as the first drawing, and a first prize is awarded to the participant to whom the first drawn ticket belongs. An entry is randomly drawn from the ticket pool as the N th  drawing, wherein the N th  drawing corresponds to a certain event; and an N th  prize is awarded to the participant to whom the N th  drawn ticket belongs. Tickets remain in the ticket pool from the first drawing to the N th  drawing.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a system of creating a lottery game, and a method of using the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system of creating a national lottery game, and a method of using the same

BACKGROUND

The lottery has long been a popular pastime for individuals, resulting in a broad participant pool.

SUMMARY

A first aspect of the present invention is a method for conducting a lottery game. The method provides a plurality of tickets acquirable by participants in the game, including an entry in a ticket Pool corresponding to a ticket acquired by a participant. A number of ticket drawings are distributed from a first drawing to an N^(th) drawing at predetermined intervals prior to an event. An entry from the ticket pool is randomly drawn as the first drawing, and a first prize is awarded to the participant to whom the first drawn ticket belongs. An entry is randomly drawn from the ticket pool as the N^(th) drawing, wherein the N^(th) drawing corresponds to a certain event; and an N^(th) prize is awarded to the participant to whom the N^(th) drawn ticket belongs. Tickets remain in the ticket pool from the first drawing to the N^(th) drawing.

A second aspect of the present invention is a method for conducting a raffle-type lottery game that is associated with a specific event. In some embodiments, participants in the lottery game acquire tickets, each ticket representing an entry into a series of drawings for one or more prizes. In some embodiments, if a participant's ticket is selected in one of drawings, a prize is awarded to that participant.

A third aspect of the present invention is a method for conducting a raffle-type national lottery game, the series of drawings are associated with a specific event, and distributed at predetermined intervals before the event, culminating in a final drawing in coordination with the event itself. In some embodiments, a ticket, once acquired, is eligible to win each subsequent drawing until the game ends. In some embodiments, a winner in each drawing is guaranteed, at least because the “winning” ticket is drawn from a pool including only participant-acquired tickets associated with the game.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts a flow chart of a method of playing a lottery game, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2 depicts an overview of online interviews about lottery games, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 3 depicts an article and graph of a high likelihood of buying a national raffle ticket, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 4 depicts an article and graph of a consistent appeal across demographic groups, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 5 depicts data showing model projections of sales of a national raffle game, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 6 depicts a graph showing projected attendance rates, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 7 depicts a graph showing that most of the funds spent on this game will be in addition to money spent on other lottery games, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 8 depicts a graph showing that players prefer drawing one winner a day for 53 days rather than waiting for each playoff game, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 9 depicts data showing that a guaranteed winner, $53 million, and 53 changes are the most appealing attributes of the new game, and that limited offer, experiential prizes and price points are less appealing, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 10 depicts data showing that every attribute of the new game is considered “very appealing” among regular lottery players, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 11 depicts data showing that while non-NFL games lose some luster, 41% of weekly players and 34% of monthly players are interested, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 12 depicts a graph showing a $275 million sales distribution, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; and

FIG. 13 depicts a graph showing estimated annual licensing fee to the NFL with sales growth, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION Definitions

Hereinafter, unless otherwise defined, the term “national lottery game” means a lottery game having a full geographic United States scope or footprint, completely within the territorial limits of the United States.

FIG. 1 depicts a flow chart 10 of a method 10 of playing a lottery game, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. A first step 12 of the method 10 comprises providing a plurality of tickets acquirable by participants in the game. A second step 14 of the method 10 comprises including an entry in a ticket Pool corresponding to a ticket acquired by a participant. A third step 16 of the method 10 comprises distributing a number of ticket drawings from a first drawing to an N^(th) drawing at predetermined intervals prior to an event. A fourth step 18 of the method 10 comprises randomly drawing an entry from the ticket pool as the first drawing and awarding a first prize to the participant to whom the first drawn ticket belongs. A fifth step 20 of the method 10 comprises randomly drawing an entry from the ticket pool as the N^(th) drawing, where the N^(th) drawing corresponds to a certain event; and awarding an N^(th) prize to the participant to whom the N^(th) drawn ticket belongs, where tickets remain in the ticket pool from the first drawing to the N^(th) drawing.

FIG. 2 depicts an overview of online interviews about lottery games.

FIG. 3 depicts an article and graph of a high likelihood of buying a national raffle ticket, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4 depicts an article and graph of a consistent appeal across demographic groups, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 5 depicts data showing model projections of sales of a national raffle game, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 6 depicts a graph showing projected attendance rates, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 7 depicts a graph showing that most of the funds spent on this game will be in addition to money spent on other lottery games.

FIG. 8 depicts a graph showing that players prefer drawing one winner a day for 53 days rather than waiting for each playoff game.

FIG. 9 depicts data showing that a guaranteed winner, $53 million, and 53 changes are the most appealing attributes of the new game, and that limited offer, experiential prizes and price points are less appealing.

FIG. 10 depicts data showing that every attribute of the new game is considered “very appealing” among regular lottery players.

FIG. 11 depicts data showing that while non-NFL games lose some luster, 41% of weekly players and 34% of monthly players are interested.

FIG. 12 depicts a graph showing a $275 million sales distribution.

FIG. 13 depicts a graph showing estimated annual licensing fee to the NFL with sales growth.

Some embodiments of the disclosed subject matter are directed to a lottery game wherein participants play by acquiring tickets. In some embodiments, the participant is an individual. In some embodiments, the participant is a group of individuals. In some embodiments, the beneficiary of sales may be a charity. In some embodiments, the tickets are acquired via in-person purchase, e.g., where traditional lottery tickets are sold. In some embodiments, the tickets are acquired via online purchase. In some embodiments, the tickets are acquired as incentives to other acquisitions, e.g., included in the purchase of tickets for a sporting event, concert, etc. In some embodiments, the tickets are acquired by sending a text message, e-mail message, etc. to the game operators. In some embodiments, the tickets are made available for acquisition by a participant pool. In some embodiments, the participant pool is nationwide. In some embodiments, the number of tickets a participant is allowed to acquire for the game is limited. In some embodiments, the number of tickets a participant is allowed to acquire for the game is unlimited.

Each ticket corresponds to a ticket included in a ticket pool operated by the game operator, and each ticket represents a chance for the participant owning the ticket to have their ticket chosen during a series of drawings N from the ticket pool. In some embodiments, the tickets and the ticket pool are physical objects, and tickets are physically “drawn” from the ticket pool. In some embodiments, one or both of the tickets and the ticket pool are virtual. In some embodiments, tickets are drawn at random. In some embodiments, each ticket is given a number. In some embodiments, a ticket is registerable with the game operators. In some embodiments, a ticket becomes “registered” when additional biographical information of the participant is provided to the game operators. In some embodiments, a registered ticket has a higher likelihood of winning a prize, as will be discussed in greater detail below. In some embodiments, a single registered ticket counts as two or more corresponding tickets in the ticket pool.

In some embodiments, the series of drawings N are timed to correspond with a specific event (hereinafter, “Event”). In some embodiments, the series of drawings N are distributed at predetermined intervals prior to the Event. In some embodiments, the predetermined interval is every minute, hour, day, week, and the like. In some embodiments, the game concludes after a final N^(th) drawing (hereinafter, “Final Drawing”). In some embodiments, the Final Drawing coincides with the Event. In some embodiments, the Final Drawing occurs during the Event. In some embodiments, the Final Drawing has a greater or more desirable prize than other drawings in the game. In some embodiments, the game is offered at predetermined intervals, e.g., monthly, annually, etc. In some embodiments, after the game has concluded, non-winning tickets are marked as ineligible for future iterations of the game.

In some embodiments, at least one supplemental drawing is held during the game. In some embodiments, the supplemental drawings occur at different intervals from the predetermined drawings. In some embodiments, the supplemental drawings correspond to a second event associated with the Event. In some embodiments, a supplemental drawing is performed only for the first occurrence of the second event. In some embodiments, a supplemental drawing is performed for each occurrence of the second event. In some embodiments, the supplemental ticket is only eligible for the supplemental drawing corresponding to the occurrence of the second event. In some embodiments, the supplemental ticket is also eligible for subsequent drawings in the series of drawings N. In some embodiments, the supplemental ticket is also eligible for the Final Drawing. In some embodiments, a limited amount of time is provided for participants to acquire tickets for the supplemental drawing. For example, where the Event is a professional football game and the second event is a touchdown, participants might have only 5 minutes from the moment the score is confirmed in order to purchase supplemental tickets. In some embodiments, the supplemental drawing is performed after this limited amount of time. In some embodiments, the supplemental drawing is performed prior to the Final Drawing.

In some embodiments, when a participant's ticket is chosen during a drawing, the participant wins a prize. In some embodiments, the prize is monetary. In some embodiments, the prize is experiential, e.g., tickets, passes, memorabilia, etc., or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the money used by the participants to acquire the tickets is used to fund the prizes. In some embodiments, a portion of the money used by the participants to acquire the tickets is used to fund the prizes. In some embodiments, a ticket acquired by one participant can be transferred to another participant. In some embodiments, a ticket can be transferring to another participant by sending via text message, e-mail message, etc. In some embodiments, a participant can pre-donate any prizes to another participant, e.g., can commit to donating some or all of any future prize. In some embodiments, a portion of the money spent by the participants to acquire the tickets is dedicated to charity.

In some embodiments, tickets are acquirable at any time during the game. In some embodiments, tickets are pre-purchasable. In some embodiments, a ticket, once acquired, is eligible to win each subsequent drawing until the game ends, i.e., a ticket can be purchased half-way through a month-long game and be eligible for all drawings for the rest of the month. Because each drawing is from tickets associated with tickets actually acquired by the participants, a winner for each drawing in the lottery game of the present disclosure is guaranteed. In some embodiments, a purchased ticket remains eligible for all drawings during a game even if the ticket was selected as a winner in a previous drawing. In some embodiments, once a ticket is chosen as a winner in a drawing during the game, it is ineligible during subsequent drawings in that game, i.e. a single ticket cannot win more than one drawing during the game.

In some embodiments, participants accrue points for performing actions related to the game or the Event. Some examples of these actions include, but are not limited to, purchasing tickets, purchasing related merchandise, attending the Event, signing up for Event-related mailings, signing up for game-related mailings, participating in Event-related or game-related mini-games, participating in game- or Event-related forums, participating in game- or Event-related question and answer sessions, etc. In some embodiments, points increase the likelihood that a participant wins a drawing. In some embodiments, points are convertible into tickets at a predetermined exchange rate. In some embodiments, points do not expire. In some embodiments, points expire after a predetermined amount of time, e.g., yearly, monthly, etc.

By way of example, the Event is a major sporting event such as a Super Bowl®, the Daytona 500® race, a World Series® game, an NBA® finals game, an NHL® Stanley Cup® finals game, and the like. Of course, the Event may be an awards show such as the Oscars® or the opening of a play or movie. A series of drawings are made at predetermined intervals based on the occurrence of the Event, e.g., if the event was Super Bowl® 53, in some embodiments there may be 53 drawings that take place each day leading up to the Super Bowl® and culminate in the 53^(rd) (or a 54^(th)) drawing (Final Drawing), which occurs (by way of example) during the Event itself. Thus, in this example, the game lasts for a total of 53 (or 54) days. As discussed above, participant can purchase tickets at any time before or during the game so long as the game pool has not closed (predetermined by game organizer before game begins in game rules). As a result, tickets that are purchased earlier in the game or are pre-purchased have more chances to be chosen as a winner. The game may then be repeated for subsequent events, e.g., Super Bowl® 54, or implemented in relation to other events as described above.

The game according to some embodiments of the present disclosure has been shown to be attractive to regular lottery players, to attract new or non-traditional participants to lottery-type games, and make it more likely that those participants would attend or watch the Event. As indicated by the focus group testing for the game of the present disclosure shown in Appendix A, these trends were found particularly among prospective participants who self-identify as millennial or Hispanic. Further, beyond being generally well received by the prospective participants, the concept of drawings at predetermined intervals, e.g., one winner each day, was found overwhelmingly favorable for participants compared to more clustered or batched drawings. Thus, the game of the present disclosure is surprisingly advantageous over traditional lottery games for not only the participants, but also the associated Event. Further, the tickets themselves present a sponsorship opportunity that can be monetized. The game can thus be utilized by Event coordinators to increase interest and/or viewership in the event, which results in increased ticket sales and advertising revenues.

Example

The present teachings disclose a national lottery game, having a full geographic United States scope or footprint, completely within the territorial limits of the United States, that may be presented with an eye-catching theme or sponsorship meant to attract the attention of these prospective sponsors. Synergy between events and/or entertainment organizations and lotteries can be advantageous and lucrative. Since 2009, approximately 24 teams from the National Football League® have received licensing agreements through state-run lottery games. Further, $3.4 billion worth of revenue has been generated by all licensed sports scratch-off lottery tickets. Further 44 lotteries have over $70 billion in sales annually nationwide. This includes iconic lottery brands such as powerball and mega millions. Some lotteries have a nationwide distribution network.

The present teachings disclose a lottery game that may utilize professional services by

-   -   Marketing/Media—Top National Firm     -   Audit Firm—Price Waterhouse     -   Security—Senet or Gli     -   Research—Socialsphere

The present teachings disclose a lottery game that may have winning capital goals, e.g., create the first ever U.S. national lottery raffle draw game; and increase and attract new/non-traditional viewers to National Football League (NFL®) games, e.g. Super Bowl.

The present teachings disclose a national lottery game having:

-   -   Unprecedented 53 chances to win on 1 draw ticket;     -   Every ticket will be assigned a unique number that is eligible         for all drawings;     -   Guaranteed winner of at least $53 million during a Super Bowl;     -   One million dollar winners guaranteed every day for the 53 days         building up to the Super Bowl;     -   Experiential prizes: nfl season tickets, super bowl tickets for         life, player meet & greets, sideline passes, memorabilia, and         the like;     -   $10 per ticket;     -   Start date—53 days before the super bowl;     -   Limited versus unlimited tickets; and     -   Sold nationwide at an estimated 210,000 lottery retailers.

Focus group and research

-   -   Two focus groups completed on Jan. 4, 2017     -   National study and research completed on Aug. 15, 2017

Overview & Key Findings

SocialSphere conducted N=1,069 online interviews with adults who live in states where lottery is sold. The objective was to understand the feasibility of a national raffle lottery game that will offer a $53 million guaranteed jackpot, an additional 50-$1 million winners, and sold for a limited time ahead of the 2019 Super Bowl. Following are the top 5 findings.

-   -   A quarter of all eligible Americans, 51% of current weekly         lottery players and 41% of avid NFL fans indicate high         likelihood of buying a national raffle ticket;     -   The national raffle game has consistent appeal across all         demographic groups, and creates an opportunity to expand lottery         player base by appealing specifically to Millennials and         Hispanics;     -   Assuming strong operational and marketing efforts, and unlimited         supply, low model projects $1.32 billion in sales, the base         model projects $1.69 billion in sales;     -   The national raffle game also expands National Football League         (NFL) audience as Millennials and Hispanics far more likely to         watch Super Bowl if they had a chance to win $53 million         jackpot;     -   For most active players (Monthly & Weekly), most of the funds         spent on this game will be “In addition to money you would spend         on other lottery games.”

Benefits to National Football League (NFL)

-   -   Initial $36 million license fee;     -   Increase viewership of National Football League (NFL) regular         season, playoffs and super bowl;     -   Live drawings during broadcast of Thursday, Sunday and Monday         night games;     -   Drawings revealed first on National Football League (NFL) mobile         app, National Football League (NFL) network and all team         websites;     -   Partner with National Football League (NFL) “on location         experiences” for all experiential prizes;     -   Partnership with National Football League (NFL) internal         marketing and advertising group;     -   Sponsorship opportunity attached to “super bowl raffle” for 7         weeks; logo/marketing of sponsor printed on back of every         ticket;     -   A reason for non-international expansion (Mexico, Canada, UK);     -   Game begins as fantasy football ends;     -   Fans to watch super bowl with friends and family who share         tickets;     -   International expansion (Mexico, Canada, UK);     -   Game begins as fantasy football ends;     -   Opportunity to make “National Football League (NFL) raffle” an         annual tradition;     -   As sales grow, National Football League (NFL) license fee         increases;     -   275 M sales=$37 M to National Football League (NFL);     -   500 M sales=$65 M to National Football League (NFL);     -   1B sales=$130 M to National Football League (NFL); and     -   1.25 sales=$165 M to National Football League (NFL).

Although the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to exemplary embodiments thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and various other changes, omissions and additions may be made therein and thereto, without parting from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 

We claim:
 1. A method for conducting a lottery game comprising: providing a plurality of tickets acquirable by participants in the game; including an entry in a ticket Pool corresponding to a ticket acquired by a participant; distributing a number of ticket drawings from a first drawing to an N^(th) drawing at predetermined intervals prior to an event; randomly drawing an entry from the ticket pool as the first drawing; awarding a first prize to the participant to whom the first drawn ticket belongs; randomly drawing an entry from the ticket pool as the N^(th) drawing, wherein the N^(th) drawing corresponds to a certain event; and awarding an N^(th) prize to the participant to whom the N^(th) drawn ticket belongs, wherein tickets remain in the ticket pool from the first drawing to the N^(th) drawing.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein including an entry in a ticket pool is performed after randomly drawing an entry from the ticket pool as the first drawing.
 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the N^(th) prize is larger than the first prize. 